I am so sorry that I hadn't updated last Saturday, I had writer's block, luckily, the Children's Department at the Library was dead, I was able to write while I waited until I could go home, and to make up my lack of posting last week, I am going to post two chapters this week! I am sorry again, enjoy the story!
Chapter 5: The Next Morning
Maurice had arrived to his home and found that the Marquis was there, and he didn't look too pleased. "Maurice, what is going on here? Last I saw you, you were poor and begging, now I see you have gained a fortune."
"It is only enough to get started. I will soon be back to my old life."
Marquis dug his cane into the dirt and then said, "No matter, I have come here to see Belle. Where is she?"
"Oh, uh, well, she is visiting an aunt. Yes, a sick aunt and has been sent to take care of her."
"What? And when shall she be back?"
"I don't know. The aunt is very ill and needs special care. I would be surprised if it took a very long time."
"I will not wait, not even for a sick aunt! I will have Belle as my wife and no other, make no mistake about that!"
The Marquis stepped into the carriage and rode off. He stared out of the window as his little assistant, simply known as Le Fou, had asked him a question.
"What is the matter my Lord?"
"What is the matter? My plan is falling apart! That's what the matter is! I had paid those pirates very good money to steal his goods in order to leave him penniless, all a way to get him to beg for help and have me marry Belle."
"Ah yes, Belle. She is a great beauty."
"Yes, and from the moment I saw her, I wanted her. She is not just the most beautiful; she is also the most desirable. To have her by my side we would be the most perfect couple and then at night…" He bit his knuckle and said, "I would never need another woman. She has everything that I long for; beauty, innocence and breasts."
Le Fou chuckled, "Yes. But what will you do now?"
"Simply find another way to get Belle as my wife. But just how? I can't have pirates steal again, that would look too coincidental. Think of something, I must have a way to have Belle."
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Belle awoke in the morning, having slept rather soundly, surprisingly under the conditions. When she awoke, the sun shined in her room brightly and a beautiful dress was lying on her vanity chair. She stood up and examined the dress. It was a pink dress with white flowers and gold linings. It was the finest dress that she had ever seen.
After dressing herself, she went down the stairs and entered the dining room. There was breakfast waiting for her, but no one else. She sat on her seat and started to eat. She ate rather slowly, since her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of her father and family. She would miss them, but she didn't mind making this sacrifice for them.
"Good morning Belle."
She was awaken from her thoughts and dropped her fork.
"I am sorry. Did I frighten you?"
"No Sir, I was just thinking of my family when you interrupted me."
"Do you wish for me to leave?"
"You are the master."
"No. I am the slave and you the mistress, I am the beast and you the beauty, I am nothing, and you are everything."
"Why must you be so cruel to yourself? Surely you cannot be that horrible of a man."
"Man? Did you say 'man'?" He couldn't believe that someone could see him as a man.
"I meant no offence, but what can I say of a voice that refuses me a glimpse of their face?"
"I- I was sure your father had told you everything."
"What means you sir? What is it that he should have told me?"
"First, tell me what you know."
"That my father was caught by a 'beast' as he had called you, for stealing your rose."
"Ah yes. That he did. The thief should have died for stealing from me. He stole something from me that cannot be replaced. His greed has cost him much."
"Please do not be cruel. He is one of the most generous and kindest men I have ever known. He had taken the rose for its beauty, never for greed."
"And yet he would steal my rose. Tell me, if he had admired the rose so much, why did he have to kill it? Why couldn't he have let it alone to strive and live, surely that is more generous and kind thing to do to such beauty?"
Belle started to have tears in her eyes. "Why must you twist everything to make it sound so-so ugly? Blame me for committing the crime, Father would never have thought to steal the rose if I hadn't asked for it. Blame me, please."
The Beast saw her face and felt terrible for hurting her. "I am sorry, Belle. Please do not cry. This is your home now, you may have anything that you wish, even my roses. But I beg of you, please do not leave me."
Belle wondered just where the master of the castle could be, she looked around and could not find him anywhere.
"My only wish is that you will be happy here, and soon you will love to be here, and even call it home."
"I shall try, but please good sir, I beg your pardon, but I cannot promise to grant your wish. Even though your castle is the grandest of all the places I have visited, I still would not have willingly come to this place if it weren't because you have ordered it to be so."
The Beast's heart broke a little. He had wanted her to be happy, and yet she wasn't.
"Please, tell me, what could I do to make your stay more comfortable? Name it, and I shall grant it."
"I-I suppose I should like to explore more of the castle, especially since you tell me that this is to be my home."
"That I may give you. All the doors are unlocked and ready for you to explore, but I must ask you to not enter the West Wing."
"Why? What's in the west-"
"It's forbidden!"
Belle jumped at his risen voice, but the Beats recovered and said, rather softly, "Please forgive me. I did not mean to."
She then hurried out of the room and left the Beast alone. He stepped out from his hiding place from behind the wall, which was a secret passage way and went over to where she sat.
Now she knows of your beastly ways. This foolish plan will not work. She will not learn to love you before she sees you.
"I may have the chance to. I have the magic and I command that this shall be so."
Then why not command her to love you?
"I want her love, freely, with no fear or pity. This must be so."
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Belle had enjoyed herself as she explored the castle, but because it was so huge, she had decided to split the exploration into floors; one day she will explore the ground floor, the next day the second floor and the last the third floor.
When she explored the ground floor, which consisted of a dining hall, a grand hall with a enormous staircase, a huge lounge, a conservatory and the greatest sight of it all; the grand ballroom.
Belle entered the room and looked around. It was golden with a grand chandelier right in the middle of the ballroom, with little cherubs sitting on clouds, conversing with each other. Once she was right in the middle of the ballroom and her echoing footsteps stopped, she looked straight up at the high ceiling and the glowing chandelier. Then taking advantage of the enormity of the room as well as the privacy, she then took to spinning around. She expanded her arms out and spun around, just letting herself feel free and relaxed.
The Beast peered from the doorway and admired how she seemed so happy. He thought of how to make her even happier. With a flick of his wrist, music appeared from nowhere, making Belle stop short and tried to find the source of the music. When she found that there was no real source of the music, she then let out a laugh. She quickly covered her mouth, surprised that she had actually laughed in her prison. But she had to admit, she had felt like she wasn't in a prison, but rather a guest in a strange home. But Belle and Beast felt happy in this moment, and Belle bowed pretending that there was someone there and then danced.
If only he could hold her close and dance with her, how his heart would have leaped with joy and he would never have asked for anything more. He watched until she heard the clock strike seven and stopped. He dashed away before she could see him and headed toward the dining hall again.
Belle hadn't seen the Beast at all and when she entered the room, she wasn't surprised that there was new food there and that a fire roared. Resuming her spot, she decided to wait until her host would appear, or rather spoke. This was so for only a few seconds, until she heard him ask, "What is the matter? Do you not like your food?"
"Oh, no, it is not that. I had only wanted to wait until you appeared. I keep feeling as if I am being rude by eating without you."
"Never feel that way. You have complete freedom to eat whenever you wish, never concerning yourself with me."
"You're always there, aren't you? Wherever I am, you are there. Sometimes, I wonder if I am really alone, and you and everything else is truly just in my head. Will I ever see you?"
"Perhaps one day. I don't think now will be the best time."
"Why?"
"It is of no importance. Tell me, did you enjoy yourself today?"
"Yes, indeed. You have a splendid castle, but-"
"But? What is it?"
"It's just that-" Belle stood up and paced around the room as she continued, "I sometimes have to wonder if all this isn't real, the magic, the castle and worse of all, you. I am afraid that perhaps all this is a dream, I must confess, this place is quite dreamlike. And what worries me most is whether or not if, if this truly a dream, then do I want to wake up?"
She stops at the fireplace, looking into its orange hue and whispers, "What is a girl to do?"
"Sometimes," the Beast spoke softly, "Dreams can be real. This place is real, even with all it's magic."
"And you?"
"I am real, I promise you."
"Will I ever see you?" she asks innocently.
There is a pause until he answers gently, with a touch of sadness, "Perhaps one day, we'll see my dear."
"Well," she said as she sat back down, "If you will not let me see you, then will you have a toast with me?" She poured her glass and raised it. "I promise sir, I will not look at you."
The Beast quietly stood behind her, and kindly asked, "Raise the glass higher."
She did as she was asked, and with a quiet and timid hand, she reached and touched him.
"No!"
"What's wrong?" Belle asked, still not looking at him, and unsure of what was wrong. There was no answer, and she asked again, "What is it? Hello?" She looked back, and there was nothing. He was gone. Had she offended him in some way?
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"What has she done to me?"
The Beast looked at his hands, literally his hands; they were claws the last time he saw them and then with a simple touch of her hand, they turned into hands, human hands.
She has ruined you, that is what she has done. No longer a Man, no longer a Beast, you belong nowhere!
"Her touch is good, not of evil. She could save me."
She will destroy you. You have power, great power, are you willing to throw it away all for the silly hope of salvation. There is no salvation for Beasts, only for Man, and you are not either one.
"Leave me! Leave me to my hope, and my portrait."
The Beast picked up his portrait and stared at it.
She is not as pure as you would like to believe she is. I will prove it to you!
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Belle was fast asleep in her bed, when she awoke to a bright light in her face. She saw through the glare a figure, a womanly figure. The light started to dim and Belle could see the woman better; she was a beautiful, exotic figure, with olive complextion, but with silver hair and the ends of it was violet, the same color of her eyes, her garment was similar to that of a Grecian goddess, and she wore no shoes on her feet, though she was floating in the air, so shoes were not a requirement for her. Belle was enchanted.
"Hello Belle." The woman had a low but sweet voice, Belle was sure this woman was an enchantress.
"Hello, Great Lady. What could your business be with me?"
"My business is to protect you."
"Protect me? Pray, protect me from what?"
"Exactly, it is from a what I must protect you. Your host, he is a vicious beast. He will destroy you without a seconds thought."
Belle couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No, he has been nothing but charming and generous to me. He would never hurt me."
"He was willing to kill your father for a rose, a simple rose, imagine what he could do to you."
"But he hasn't, he hasn't hurt me at all."
"I know it is difficult to believe, but trust me, you will see the Beast as he truly is."
And with that, she disappeared in a flash of light, making Belle to jump in her bed. Was she dreaming all of this? It had to have been and yet, why did she feel so certain that the lady was here?
"He won't hurt me," she whispered to herself, "He couldn't."
Thank you to XXPay4XtraShippingsXX, MyahLyah, Anon (Guest) (by the way, I will have to look up her work, but thanks!) and savethemadscientist for your reviews; to those who follow me, pange'sorangepen, MyahLyah, savethemadscientist and KatieElizabethGrace, thank you; and to MyahLyah and sillybilly4 for favoring my story.
